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UV lens filters for TL Lenses


tomrc

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I am new to the Leica family having recently purchased the TL2. In my other endeavors with Nikon, Canon and Hasselblad lenses I always had a UV filter on my lenses primarily for protection. I have read that putting a filter on a Leica lens would be a disservice to the lens. I would like to have some opinions on the use or non use of UV filters. Thanks in advance.

Tom

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FAQ #1 on this forum. No, it is not a problem to put a filter on a Leica lens. If it were, there would be no filter thread. I would advise, though, to use a protective filter to protect the lens, like a B+W 007. UV filters are meant, ummm... to filter UV. Not that there is a need to do so in 98% of circumstances.

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Welcome to the forums.  The TL lenses are superb and theoretically any glass placed in front of a great optic will degrade the image.  In my testing, a single well made filter from a well regarded manufacturer will not degrade the image for most photography, occasional flare being the exception.  I wouldn't hesitate to place them on any Leica lens.  

 

Roger Cicala of Lens Rentals has blogged about this with some interesting information:

 

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/06/the-comprehensive-ranking-of-the-major-uv-filters-on-the-market/

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I never use filters, unless for special effect, as I believe adding those extra two surfaces in front of a superb lens can only degrade the quality. We pay a lot of money for Leica lenses because they are probably the best on the market and so why degrade them by adding inferior glass to the front of them.

 

Of course, this is just my opinion and I'll probably change it if I ever damage the front element on my Noctiliux.  :(  :(  ;)

 

Cheers, Tom

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(Btw. In all that post I assume what Jaapv wrote: using filter purely as protection, not for any other effect which is very situational)

 

Tom, I've dome some research in exactly this case few months ago (on different forums). Leica users tend to be more anti-filters than users of other brands. Even Leica officially recommended not to use any filter few years back from what I've heard (because lenses are designed to be perfect as they are). But then they stopped that advice. 

 

Many people (let's name them group A) say that will degrade quality, it's pure physics

Also many people (group B ) have done some tests with / without filter and no one couldn't see a difference

Group A then usually replies with physics argument

 

So we have two arguments and two different verdicts

"Physics" argument. It physically must degrade IQ, therefore it does

"Eye" argument. No one can see any difference with high quality filter, so it doesn't matter at all

 

I'm with "eye" argument here. Laws of physics don't look at pictures. Our eyes do. 

 

But there are two real world effects which you could possibly see one day (but it's not said you surely will)

1. If you use a filter, it's a little bit more possible to get some unwanted lightbeams when you aim lens towards the sun

2. If you use a filter, and you hit something with your lens, it's very possible that filter will absorb some or all of the damage your $2-10k lens would take otherwise

 

If absolute best physically possible IQ is your goal - probably no filter is the way to go

If money matters at least one bit - it's cheaper to scratch / break / soil the filter*

 

I hope this post didn't offend any camp, I respect both camps ;)

 

* - although we can dig deeper here as well comparing costs of the filter with the cost of replacing front glass element. Which I won't :)

Edited by Wojtek
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Let me add my 2 cents.

 

I have read stories about people having their lens hit a rock and the filter being broken. As a result, the sharp plastic parts of the filter actually damaged the front lens. This is rare but it can happen.

 

Also, the use of filter at night may create light ghosts in your images.

 

I am not for or against filters...I am also in debate with myself if I should use them or not. Have been using them on my M lenses for years but then stoped and got no problem (considering permanent care).

 

In my opinion...the best option is the hood, after all. It is light, it doesn't have the cons of the filters, it absorbs chockes well and is long enough not to permit most things to enter in contact with your front lens.

The only cons is that it is uglay and make your lens looks larger :p

 

Also...depending on ehat you shoot you may need filters anyway : polarizing filter, ND filters etc.

 

Best

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I have read stories about people having their lens hit a rock and the filter being broken. As a result, the sharp plastic parts of the filter actually damaged the front lens. This is rare but it can happen.

 

 

Only one cent here - if a rock hit a bare lens instead, so hard that if would break a filter if it was there, it would probably damage the lens as well :) 

I don't know what plastic parts do you mean, but from what I can imagine - there's no way (or a supertiny possibility, if any) that a lens hit with a filter would be more damaged than hit with the same force without the filter.

 

But of course all other arguments against filters hold true ;) 

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